Over 85% of AUC's carbon footprint can be attributed to three main systems (see Figure 1): (1) heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and domestic hot water; (2) transportation; and (3) electricity for lighting and other equipment (Non-HVAC). Approximately 21% of the CO2 footprint in AY 20 can be attributed to electricity for lighting and other equipment.
INTRODUCTION
- Motivation
- Global Challenges: Climate Change and Public Health
- COVID-19 and Carbon Emissions
- The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
- University Overview
- AUC Central Utility Plant and Co-Generation
- Nine-Year Progress Report (AY 12 through AY 20)
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is facing the parallel threats of a health, economic and social crisis. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, HVAC system use in AY 20 was limited to essential locations in AY 20, which explains the reduction in emissions.
OVERALL METHODOLOGY AND ORGANIZATION OF REPORT
- Reference Carbon Calculator
- Boundaries
- Calculating Carbon Dioxide Equivalents (CO2e)
- Improved Methodologies, Data Collection, and Data Analysis
- Organization of Report
AUC's research team discovered that CA-CP's methodology needed to be adapted to apply to AUC. Ultimately, AUC's carbon footprint team used CA-CP as a guide for building AUC's own emissions calculator.
HEATING, VENTILATION, AIR CONDITIONING (HVAC) AND DOMESTIC HOT
Summary
Electricity is used to power pumps that circulate both chilled water for air conditioning and hot water for heating and domestic use around the campus. Hot water for heating and sanitary water is obtained in one of two ways.
Electricity for HVAC
From AY 18 to AY 19, consumption from the CUP increased by 1% and consumption from the EEA also increased by 1%. From AY 18 to AY 19, CUP emissions increased 4% and EER emissions decreased 7%.
Chilled and Hot Water
In total, the university used energy equivalent to kWh in AY 20 for chilled and hot water. Data on chilled and hot water consumption were obtained from the monthly meter readings of the AUC Office of Facilities and Operations.
TRANSPORTATION
- Summary
- Commuting by Private Car, Bus and Carpooling
- Air Travel
- University Fleet
- Sponsored Field Trips (Without Air Travel)
The operation of the University fleet accounted for 1% of AUC's total carbon footprint in AY 20. In AY 20, commuting to and from AUC New Cairo campus by private car and bus contributed an estimated 7,243 MT CO2e of carbon emissions to AUC's total carbon footprint, representing a 9%. Most commuters who do not use the bus service reach the New Cairo Campus by private car.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Office of Sustainability was unable to conduct a survey in AY 20.
ELECTRICITY FOR LIGHTING AND OTHER EQUIPMENT (NON-HVAC)
Summary
As discussed in Chapter 3 and Appendix 2, in AY 20, it is estimated that electricity used on campus for HVAC and non-HVAC (lighting and other equipment) was 55% and 45%, respectively. This figure represents AUC's non-HVAC electricity use, the remaining electricity used primarily on campus for lighting, office equipment, and laboratory equipment. Non-HVAC electricity use for lighting and other electrical equipment accounted for 21% of AUC's total carbon emissions in AY 20 (see Figure 1).
Emissions
REFRIGERANTS
- Emissions
- Methodology
- Data Sources
- Emissions Factors
Globally, energy consumption and CO2 emissions fell during the first lockdowns of the pandemic. The impact of COVID-19 on each component of emissions is detailed in the remainder of the report.
PAPER USE
Emissions
In the years following AUC's move to the New Cairo Campus, paper consumption declined steadily from AY 12 to AY 15. The increase in paper consumption from AY 15 to AY 16 is positively correlated with the increases in campus operations and energy consumption over the same period. The decrease in paper consumption from AY 16 to AY 19 can be attributed to a new paper recycling campaign and the administration's recent push to go paperless.
The increase in paper usage in AY 20 can be attributed to the marketing of AUC's year-long centennial celebrations.
Methodology
This decline can be attributed to a variety of changes, including the standardization of centralized printing stations, double-sided printing campaigns and the digitization of standard university paperwork processes. The paper recycling campaign was implemented in the fall of 2017 and consisted of removing paper bins from campus waste sorting stations and adding smaller paper collection bins in offices and classrooms. The paper recycling campaign has not only increased AUC's collection of paper for recycling, but has also made faculty, staff and students more aware of their paper use.
On top of the paper recycling campaign, the administration has made a point of streamlining its operations and moving towards a paperless operating system.
Data Sources
Emissions Factor
WATER SUPPLY
- Summary
- Emissions
- Data Sources
- Emissions Factor
From AY 18 to AY 20, total water consumption decreased by 2%, from which water consumption from treated wastewater increased by 32% and water consumption from domestic water decreased by 27%. From AY 19 to AY 20, total water consumption decreased by 4%, from which water consumption from treated wastewater increased by 5% and water consumption from domestic water decreased by 14%. Although the university's total water consumption had increased, there was a decrease in emissions due to a higher substitution of treated wastewater for potable water for landscape irrigation (see Annexes 5 and 6).
In Year 20, domestic water emissions accounted for approximately 57% of total AUC emissions to water, while 43% came from treated wastewater emissions.
SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
- Emissions
- Methodology
- Data Sources
- Emissions Factor
To estimate the tonnage of solid waste produced in AY 19, two one-week sampling assessments were conducted. To estimate the tonnage of solid waste produced in AY 20, the impact of COVID-19 had to be accounted for. Both of these factors, fewer high population days, and a lower population density on low population days, decreased the amount of solid waste produced in AY 20.
Data on the amount of solid waste produced was provided by the AUC Office of Facilities and Operations.
NATURAL GAS FOR DOMESTIC AND LAB USE
- Emissions
- Methodology
- Data Sources
- Emissions Factor
In the 2015 Carbon Footprint Report, natural gas consumption for AY 12, AY 13 and AY 14 was omitted due to a publication error. In AY 19, there was a problem with the building meters, which led to inaccurate measurements of natural gas consumption. The total natural gas figure reported in this chapter is a product of calculating the difference between total campus gas consumption (as reported by the main natural gas meter) and Central Utility Plant (CUP) consumption.
We obtained data on natural gas consumption from the AUC Office of Facilities and Operations.
FERTILIZERS
- Summary
- Emissions
- Methodology
- Emissions Savings from Compost Use
- Data Sources
- Emission and Other Relevant Factors
The applied amounts of synthetic fertilizer and organic fertilizer (compost) were multiplied by their respective percentages of nitrogen to obtain the applied amounts of nitrogen. Emissions from fertilizer use would have been approx. 64 MT CO2e greater in AY 20 if synthetic fertilizers were used instead of organic fertilizers. The university produced 130 MT of compost on campus to avoid emitting 60 MT of CO2e from the use of synthetic fertilizers.
Displaced synthetic fertilizers” in Section 11.6 refers to emissions avoided by using organic compost instead of synthetic fertilizers (FAO, 2006).
LANDSCAPING AND COMPOSTING AS CARBON OFFSETS
- Summary
- Methodology for Landscaping
- Data Sources
- Carbon Sequestration through Composting
- Total Emissions Sequestered from Landscaping and Composting
- Sequestration Factors
To obtain the amount of carbon emissions sequestered, the tree amounts were multiplied by the corresponding emission offset rates in Section 12.8. The amount of land cover was also multiplied by the applicable emission compensation rate in Section 12.8 to result in the carbon emissions sequestered by landscape land cover. All data regarding landscaping and composting at AUC's New Cairo campus was provided by the Landscape Unit of the Office of Facilities and Operations.
Mixing compost with soil completes the carbon sequestration process and is commonly known as "soil storage".1 The total emissions avoided by using compost were calculated by multiplying the amount of compost produced and used at the university by the corresponding factors in Section 12.7. .
AUC’S ENERGY USE INTENSITY (EUI)
Summary
As with other university carbon footprints, campus energy consumption is the primary determinant of AUC's carbon footprint. To compare our individual University findings, we compared AUC's Energy Use Intensity (EUI) to the EUI of six American Universities operating in similar climates. Furthermore, air conditioning is the single largest energy consumption sector in the AUC and one of the largest sources of carbon emissions.
The energy consumption and gross square footage of AUC in AY 20 were obtained from AUC's Office of Facilities and Operations.
Carbon Emissions per Total Enrollment
In the United States, EUI is often expressed in million British thermal units (MMBTU) as a function of its size in gross square feet (f2). The EUI is particularly useful for comparing the energy performance of functionally similar institutions (Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 2020). As noted in Figure 1 and Section 3.1, approximately 41% of the University's carbon emissions in AY 20 are attributable to HVAC and domestic hot water.
Each institution's energy consumption and gross square footage versus AUC in Figure 24 are taken from the latest update of Second Nature, a climate action reporting platform for higher education institutions (Second Nature, 2020).
Data Sources
RECOMMENDATIONS AND VISION FORWARD
- Concluding Remarks
- Recommendations
- AUC’s Emissions Forecast
- Vision Forward
Looking beyond the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on AY20 emissions, two key determinants will determine the future of AUC emissions. Footprint Reports, but also with new considerations on the impact of COVID-19 and the subsequent shift in focus from energy savings to health concerns. Conduct an assessment of the post-occupancy physical changes and their impact on the university's original mechanical design.
Increase the use of non-chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) refrigerants by phasing out the traditional use of R22 refrigerant and using only R407c, a more environmentally friendly alternative.
New Cairo Campus and Map of Greater Cairo
74 | American University in Cairo | Carbon Footprint Report 2021 Annex 1: New Cairo Campus and Greater Cairo Map New Cairo Campus, Aerial Photo.
Description of the Central Utility Plant (CUP)
Electricity used for HVAC drives pumps that circulate chilled water and hot water throughout the campus for air conditioning, heating and domestic hot water. Cogeneration is the design, construction and operation of a power plant to generate electricity and recover waste heat that can be used elsewhere to produce hot water for heating and domestic hot water. The main benefits of cogeneration are reduced fuel consumption, reduced energy costs and reduced carbon emissions compared to using conventional gas-fired boilers to produce hot water.
As discussed in Section 1.5 and Section 3.3.2 of this report, the Central Utilities Plant (CUP) has two of four gas-fired power generators that feed hot flue gas to heat recovery boilers that produce hot water for heating and domestic hot water.
The green arrow icon represents increasing emissions, the yellow upward arrow icon represents gradually increasing emissions, the yellow downward arrow icon represents gradually decreasing emissions, and the red arrow icon represents decreasing emissions. From AY 16-17, emissions started to increase gradually, but did not move over the peak emissions in AY 12. For example, emissions from HVAC and domestic hot water were highest in AY 12, which is why the color dark red was assigned.
Emissions from HVAC and domestic hot water were lowest in AY 20 and were therefore assigned the color white.
Domestic Water Supply Delivery Path and Energy Calculation Example
Treated Wastewater Supply Delivery Path and Energy Calculation Example
The equivalent total energy factor is driven for the purpose of comparing and observing the current and future savings/losses when introducing treated wastewater to water utilities within the AUC New Cairo Campus.